William henry porter



' 7 To all whom it may concern.-

WILLIAM IIENRYPORTER, OF NEW YORK, N.'Y., ASSIGNbR To r -inflam I'LIGHTER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE. I CATALYTIC MATERIAL, 8 o.

1 SPEGIFIG'A'JBIONv formingpart of Letters Patent No. 612,614, datedOctober 18, 1898. 'Applica'tiou filed Apr-i126, 189 5.RneWed-Iebruarylfi, 1898. strinnao'losss. xfio tai sr in afinely-divided state witha metallic oxid Be it k nown that I, 'VVILLIAMHENRY POR- 'which' is substan'tiall infusible at a white TER, a citizenof the United States, residing-in heat and also unalterable in the airat ordit e city, county, and State of New York, have nary temperatures,as will now be explained. {invented certain new. and useful Improve-Platinie chlorid (PtCh) and hydrated alu- 'ments in Catalytic Materialsand the Prepaminium chlorid (3101 are dissolved in water ration Thereof,of which the following is a in the proportion 01, for instance, one partI specification. T platinic chlorid to eight part-s hydrated aluf hisinvention relates to the preparation of minium chlorid; Combustible'material- 1 1 catalytic agents-or compositions of matter of such asloose orwoven cotton or linen, woodsuch a kind as will glow whensimultaneously pulp, wood, or paper, &c. is saturated with gas. and alsocauseignition of such gas and bleingredients eliminated anda mixture ofwhich Will retain this property indefinitely, so finely-divided platinumand aluminium oxid 15 that they may be used many thousand times ofextreme poroslty will be produced, which without injury ordeterioration.V is very rapid in i-ts'actien as a catalytic agent. The .object'of theinvention is to produce The combustible material previous to being acatalytic agent or composition of matter eliminated by burning orotherwise serves as which will of itself when brought in contact a baseor support for the catalytic agent as so with air and illuminating-gas,without the aid fast'as 'formed and imparts a fibrous strucof any exaneous heat, develop heat to any ture to the residue of finely-dividedplatinum degree from a dull-red heat to incandescence and aluminiumoxid, By heating, the mix and to inflame combustible gases or vapors,ture of platinum chlorid and aluminium chlothecomposition beingpractically incombusrid and water decomposes into metallic plati- 25tible and infusible and; capable of long and numin a finel -dividedstate and aluminium continued use for the purposes designed. oicid in aporous state, the excess of hydro- T0 these ends the invention consistsof a chloridacid, chlorm, and water being ex new agentor composition ofmatter having polled. The reaction involved may be indiextremely activecatalytic qualities and eomcated by'the following equation: 8o

gard to the inventionthe method of carrying lheresulting solid materialor composition out the same will now be explained in detail, (indicatedin the equation "by mPt-l nAl o 3 5 so as to enable those skilled in theart to make represents an Intimate mixture of finely-diand .use thesame.

It has long been known that platinum and combustible matter presentcauses the plasome other so-callcd catalytic metals have tinic chloridto be decomposed at a eompara- .the power of causing ignition ofhydrogen in tive'ly low temperature, whereby the platinum 9o 40 oxygenor in air at ordinary temperatures. produced assumes astate ofexceedingly-fine Iy new catalytic agentspossess the propsubdivision orthe form of platinum-black, erty not only of igniting illuminating-gasand and the mixtu re is a catalytic agent very rapid other combustiblegases at ordinary temperain its action, as before stated. he oxidprestures and even much below zero Fahrenheit, ent prevents the smallparticles of metal from 45 but they will also cause ignition ofcombu'sticoalescing or assuming a reguline shape.

le vapors -such as those of alcohol, ether, The solution may be appliedin a thinly and others-at ordinary temperatures and fluid state or in amore or less concentrated will retain this property practically indefiorpasty shape. 5o ation or deterioration. This desirable result rid may ofcourse be used, or a mixture of is accomplished by mixing a catalyticmetal these, and instead of the chlo'rids of platinum nitelywithoutsufiering anysubstantial alter- In place of platinic chlorid platinouschlo- 10o and having the property of causing ignition operative limits,

ter in a'fibrous shape,

I and aluminium equivalent salts may be used,

such as sulfates and acetates, the proportions being selected, so thatfor each part of metallic platinum contained there will be from two tosix parts of metallic aluminium. These proportions are given 'as beingwithin although the invention is not confined thereto, as anyproportions capable of eifecting the desired result are evidently withinthe scope of the invention. It is' also evident that the platinumheretofore described may be replaced in whole or in part by any of itsequivalents, as other catalytic metals, so called--such as palladium,iridium, desired results may be more or less perfectly attained withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. So, also, in place of analuminium-salt a suitable salt of any other metal of the earth group,such as zirconium and cerium, as well as metals approximating in theproperties to these, such as magnesium, may be used and'are of coursealso included within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is-- 4 1. A catalytic agent or c mposition of matter,comprising a mixture of catalytic metal, and a substantially infusiblemetallic oxid of ordinary illuminating-gas at ordinary temperatures,substantially as described.

2. A catalytic agent or composition of matter,consisting of an intimatemixture of finelydivided platinum and aluminium oxid, and having thepropertyof causing ignition of ordinary illuminatinggas at ordinarytemperatures, substantially as set forth. I

3. A catalytic agent or composition of matconsisting of finelydividedcatalytic metal infusible metallic oxid, substantially as described. v r4.1 A catalytic ter in a fibrous shape, consisting of finelyture ofcatalytic metal and and the salts thereof-by which the and asubstantially agent or composition of'mat-.

eiaeic stantially as described.

5. A catalytic gas-lighter comprising a mixture of catalyticmetal and a.substantially infusible metallic oxid, and a support therefor,substantially as described.

G. A catalytic gas-lighter comprising a mixaluininium oxid, and asupport therefor, substantially as set forth. n

7. A catalytic gas-lighter, comprising an intimate mixture offinely-divided platinum and aluminium oxid, and a supporttherefor,substantially as described.

' 8. In the art'of preparing catalytic agents or compositions of matter,the improvemen which consists in heating a solution of chlorid orchloride of catalytic metal or metals and metallic ehlorid or chloridsconvertible divided platinum andv aluminium o'xid, sub-T tab by heatinginto substantially infusible' oxid or oxids until a mixture is obtainedconsistin g of finely-divided catalytic metal or metals and infusiblemetallic'oxid or oxids, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

,9. In the art of preparing catalytic agents or compositions of matter,the improvement whichconsists in impregnating a combustible matter witha solution of catalytic metal or metals and metallic salt or saltsconvertible by heating into substantially infusible-oxid or oxids,heating the material until the com-,- bustible matter is consumed, and aresidue obtained consisting of a porous mixture of catalytic metal ormetals and infusible metallic oxid or oxids, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth. In testimony whereof- I have signed my name tothis specification in the presence of I two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM HENRY PORTER.'-

,{ Witnesses:

, G. F. MEEK, O. MUSSINAN.

